come from?
Prompted by a link to this Australian website www.mynrma.com.au/motoring.asp and looking at the Holdens, it occured to me:
How can you describe the origin of the Vectra (or Astra or Zafira)? Is it:
1 - They are designed by Opel in Germany and rebadged for particular markets
2 - They are designed in the US by GM and the designs faxed off to Germany, Australia, South America etc
3 - A mixture?
It is NOT my intention to have the discussion whether or not the Vauxhall name should be ditched for Opel or whatever. I'd like to know if the Vectra is a German car, European car or US.
And isn't it ironic that the Vauxhall Monaro is a two door coupe based on the Holden Commodore, aka Vauxhall/Opel Omega and is introduced here after the 4 door has been discontinued?
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A Vectra is a German car made in Rüsselsheim near Frankfurt.
I think the platform was designed there too, but it's also sold as the Chevy Malibu with heavy revisions, which would have been done in Detroit I think, although it is manufactured in Fairfax, Ks.
Depending on conditions, you may also find that lower cost or ruggedised components (e.g., engine, suspension) from older versions might be carried across.
A quick look around the world reveals that Brazil still gets the Vectra B, badged as a Chevrolet (one for the ex-Daewoo range here?) and the previous generation Astra as well as, surprisingly, the Holden Commodore but badged the Chevrolet Omega. So there's still some room for further homoegenisation of the various GM ranges.
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One thing to remember is that Oz still has a small indigenous car design and manufacturing capability. When they first started importing the Vectra, it was with similar engine choices to Europe, however within a year they were manufacturing in Oz with a homegrown engine range. (Sedan and Estate, hatch was still imported and therefore had a different engine choice)
The Holden Commodore is designed and built in Oz using the sigma platform (also I believe designed in Oz). this car is exported to many places including the middle east.
When I lived there, they were still importing Corsas and Astras (though Corsas were badged as Barina). My Barina was I think made in Spain.
StarGazer
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On a related note, I recall reading recently on another car forum about a disgruntled Omega owner who was ' going to buy a german car next time' which I found rather funny, given that IIRC the Omega, like all RWD Vauxhalls post 1980?, was both designed & built in Germany ;-).
The origins of the Monaro became pretty obvious when I parked my tatty M plate Omega saloon next to a nice shiny new Manaro 'tother day - same front, same wheelbase etc.
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The origins of the Monaro became pretty obvious when I parked my tatty M plate Omega saloon next to a nice shiny new Manaro 'tother day - same front, same wheelbase etc.
Yes but your omega doesn't have a lovely great big V8 in the fron does it!
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No; it has a very rattly oil dripping 2 litre ... but then I wouldn't get 37 mpg out of the V8 ;-))
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>>I wouldn't get 37 mpg out of the V8
No but it would sound lovely doing 15mpg!
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Mmmm, the grille is the same as they ditched the Holden grill and added the tacky Vauxhall one.
Wheelbase is similar but platform is different (its the Sigma platform from the Commodore which is slightly bigger than the Omega)
Also Omega was designed and built in Germnay (??) but Monaro and Commodore were designed and built in Oz.
Smallest engine available with the Commodore is the 3.8l V6 which can be remarkably efficient for such a large car/engine, I was achieving over 30mpg last year when touring around NSW in a Commodore Acclaim sedan.
StarGazer
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If it's a newer platform than the Omega then I wonder why they've made it look just like an Omega coupe? Forward of the 'A' pillar there really didn't seem to be any significant difference between the Omega & the Monaro....apart from that engine of course!
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